Passover

Passover - my view

I say I write from a “Judeo-Christian” viewpoint.  The Christianity I profess claims to build upon a Jewish heritage.  Almost every day when I read and meditate on scripture, I read from traditional Jewish (Old Testament verses), Psalms (many written by King David - may be the most famous of Jewish leaders ever), and some verses from the NewTestament (almost all written by people who were of Jewish heritage.).  

A parallel thought.  In Christianity, there are many interpretations that have led to many (too many?) denominations. Some Christian branches emphasize adult baptism; some accent communion; some accent being ‘born again’; and some want to be “all things to all people”.

Some of my Jewish friends and I share a great understanding and some of my Christian friends and I disagree; and visa-versa.  God gave us free-will - and even with free-will, I find it difficult as a finite human being to really grasp the concept of an infinite God, who is described as omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent (always present, always knowing, and always powerful).  And, unfortunately, many beliefs seemingly grow out of human’s limited understanding of an infinite and timeless God.

Thus said, I want to write today about “Passover” from my understanding and viewpoints.  God had personally called Abraham and said he would be “the father of many nations”.  Jews, Christians and even our Muslim brothers and sisters accept that concept.  Through the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac , and Jacob), the Israelite nation was founded - especially through Jacob’s twelve sons.  One of the sons (Joseph) ended up in Egypt as a high official and the family ended up in Egypt.  Then over the years as the Israelites / Hebrews prospered, the Egyptians got envious and enslaved the Israelites.  (To my Jewish friends, I will use the term Israelites - I hope that is not offensive, as that is not my goal).

America suffered through slavery, other places in the world have suffered through slavery.  As conditioned deteriorated for the Israelites in Egypt, God sent Moses to set the people free.  Many of the black slaves of the United States drew courage from Moses' call to “set my people free”.  

There were many plagues sent upon the Egyptian leaders by Moses, and finally the ‘big one’.  The Israelites were to kill a perfect lamb and paint the blood on the door frame to their houses, huts, lodging.  After doing so, that night the firstborn sons in Egypt died (I’m not sure of the causes of death, so I’ll just say “mysteriously”) but the firstborn sons in the houses with blood on the door frame were spared.  The angel of death (or plague) “passed-over” any houses with blood on the doors.  That got the Egyptian leadership (Pharaoh)’s attention and he consented to let the Israelites leave.  Obviously, this was a major activity when approximately 50% of the population walks out-of-town the economy collapses.  

Moses led the Israelites through the desert and eventually into the “promised land”.  (Unfortunately, the promised land is still divided and being fought over today).  The Passover and forty years in the desert, then the conquering of the peoples of the Promised Land set the Israelite’s heritage as well as their faith heritage.  

So, today, my Jewish friends are celebrating that event - the angel of death passing over their houses while killing the Egyptian first-born sons.  They are celebrating wearing walking clothes, eating unleavened bread and remembering the hardships of their ancestors breaking free from slavery.  

“Next year is Jerusalem” is a saying today - a saying that (hopefully) next year the Israelite people can all be together in Jerusalem and join in the celebration.  Maybe some year there will be peace and understanding, and maybe someday the Jewish temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem.  

Jerusalem is a divided city.  The name means “City of Peace” - but there is always an uneasy peace between the three major monotheistic groups of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  

*****

My Christian friends extend the understanding by saying that Jesus was (a) the long-awaited Messiah of Judaism; (b) that Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God (who takes away the sins of the world), and is really God.  Christians take a concept like water - which can be a solid (ice), liquid (water) and a gas (water vapor) and that God is infinite and all-powerful can appear anyway He (or She) wants to (like a Black woman in the novel “The Shack”).  

*****

But today, I want to honor my Jewish friends - and declare (in my not-understanding mind) that we are brothers - as we all are made in the ‘Image and Likewise” of God.  Our leaders disagree on philosophies, but we are all humans on the road - sometimes tripping and falling, and sometimes doing something nice.

Let us love one another, let us find common ground to understand and appreciate an infinite, all-powerful God in our so tiny, finite and small brains.  (Aside, I’ve never been successful in saying “Let there be light” and light would occur!!!)

Shalom - peace, peace, peace - and Next Year in Jerusalem!!!

Hugs!!

Karen